Sheffield Children’s pilots Navigator service

Who and what are Navigators?

This is a pilot project at Sheffield Children’s Hospital involving a small group of colleagues. Their aim is to support young people who may be involved in violence at home, school or in the community and as a result it may be affecting their health e.g., they attend the Emergency Department for treatment or support.

In the pictures above you can see Mel and Sam – two of our Navigators!

The Navigators support patients in the Emergency Department, on the wards or in outpatients, and can receive referrals from colleagues, patients and families. The Navigators initially may speak to patients in the hospital, but will work with them to support them outside of the hospital.

The reasons behind violence can be complicated and we know that it can be difficult to break negative cycles once they have begun. We believe that everyone has the right to a positive, healthy lifestyle and with the right support, everyone can make a positive change, if they want to.

Navigators are there to help young people achieve a positive outcome and o­ffer support after they have been discharged from hospital.

• Navigators are a non-judgemental support service delivered by nurses who can source support that matches your needs.
• Navigators have links to a wide network of organisations that can support a range of different issues.

What does support look like?

The Navigators will spend time with young people, building trust and exploring what support they can off­er, with their agreement. It may be that all they want is a chat and that’s fine – that’s what the Navigators are there for.

Navigators will try to establish support to create a positive future for the young person. If they would like additional support from our community partners we can explore what’s available.

The team support the young person to understand their circumstances and what support they may need to perhaps avoid future situations involving violence and get them to a safer place physically and mentally. This can be signposting to dedicated support, educating on things such as managing wounds through the Your Stance project and generally being a safe person for someone to speak to.

Who do the Navigators work with?

The Navigators work with teams across the hospital, doctors, nurses, support workers, and safeguarding teams,  – anyone who may be able to help a young person that needs support.

How can I speak to a Navigator?

The navigators are based at Sheffield Children’s Hospital at different times throughout the week.

Navigators can be:

• approached directly;
• they may approach you.
• you can request their assistance through medical or nursing staff
• may be referred by a Doctor or Nurse with a Young person’s consent
• they will be wearing grey polo shirts with pink writing on which say, ‘Youth Navigator’.

To find out more, get in contact with the team by emailing scn-tr.y.nav-info@nhs.net.